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| Perfect Pavlova |
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About 10 years ago I had Pavlova for the first time and instantly fell in love with it. My fabulous friend, Lori (you know who you are) made it and it was amazing. The strange thing is that I hadn't had it since until just recently when we enjoyed it at her house again. The next weekend I decided to make it for my family but I didn't have her recipe. Instead of bothering her for it I started to research on-line for a good recipe. I not only found a recipe for it but I also figured out how to turn it into chocolate Pavlova. Yummy...
The original recipe is from www.joyofbaking.com Serves 6 to 8 people
Meringue Cake:
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. white vinegar
½ tbsp. cornstarch
Topping:
1 cup whipping cream
1 ½ tbsp. icing sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Fresh fruit (strawberries/raspberries are my favorite)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees and place rack in the center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw approx. 7 to 8 inch circle on the paper.
Using your electric mixer, whisk the egg whites on medium-high until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth). Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, using a rubber spatula, fold in.
Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the outside is dry and takes on a very pale cream color. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (the outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy). The cooled meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for a few days. This is great for the times when you need to make the dessert ahead of time.
Just before serving gently place the meringue onto a serving plate. Whip the cream in you mixer until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and then mound the softly whipped cream onto the center of the meringue. Arrange the fruit randomly, or in a decorative pattern, on top of the cream. Serve immediately as this dessert does not hold for more than a few hours.
FOR CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA:
Use 1 extra egg white when making the meringue cake
After folding in the cornstarch and vinegar add:
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 cup mini chocolate chips
This dessert is only for chocolate lovers...Enjoy
Sherry Halvorson
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